Where She Stands
by Mackon
Summary: Joyce makes a wish but will it make things better or more complicated and how is Cordelia involved crossover with SG universe in later chapters


Where She Stands

DISCLAIMER:  
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all the characters that appear on the shows are the exclusive property of Joss Whedon, the WB, Fox and Mutant Enemy, Inc.

Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended.

Spoilers for BTVS up to Blood Ties Ep091 (5.13) and all of ATS

Chapter One Help?

Joyce Summers quietly closed her bedroom door ; her gaze resting on the sleeping form of her daughters huddled together in her bed. Buffy with half her face darkened with a bruise where Glory had punched her and Dawn with slashes on her forearm where she had cut herself to see if she could really bleed, to see if she were real.

Joyce made her way downstairs her mind a blur seeming to be running faster than ever before. She could feel the panic she'd been struggling against all day, since they had discovered Dawn missing from her room, rising again the momentary relief she had felt when the girls made it home safe if not sound already forgotten. She had seen it in Buffy's eyes, complete hopelessness when she talked about finding ways to beat Glory and keep Dawn safe. Ever since the Watchers council had come to Sunnydale, Buffy would try, her friends would help all they could but Buffy fully expected in her heart of hearts to die then Dawn would be next and probably most of the other children and Rupert.

Joyce wanted to scream or hit something she had an almost overwhelming urge to phone Hank and unload all the crazyness on him. She drew a deep shuddering breath and realized she was heading out the back door to the porch looking out over the back yard.

Flashback

"No, it doesn't stop! It never stops! Do-do you think I chose to be like this? Do you have any idea how lonely it is, how dangerous? I would love to be upstairs watching TV or gossiping about boys or... God, even studying! But I have to save the world... again"

"You walk out of this house, don't even think about coming back!"

The words seemed to echo out of the night hers and Buffy's on the awful night her eldest had stormed of to fight Angelus, Dawns quite sobbing in the background.

But Dawn had not really been there. Her hand rose to the healing stitches on the side of her head as the dull ache she had lived with since the operation went up another notch. The whole thing with the Key, monks and memory frustrated the hell out of her and she thrust it out of her mind again as she had since the revelation. Repeating to herself. "She's mine my baby my Dawn."

It was all falling apart and there seemed to be no way to even help. She thought of Willows eyes when they all brought Dawn back to the house. Fear was not something she associated with Buffy's best friend the red haired girl had always seemed to have complete faith that Buffy and the Scoobies would win. But tonight She had clung to Tara as if her life depended on it. Xander had acted as normal as he ever got, but his arm in a sling with torn ligaments and a sprain so bad that the Doctors were amazed it wasn't broken. His other arm protectively around a quite and subdued Anya Rupert hadn't stayed long leaving as soon as the girls were inside. He had muttered something about checking his books but Joyce thought he had ducked out before anybody, like his Slayers mother, asked some hard questions about the future and what plans he had.

"We need help all of us … God I wish." Joyce stopped she could not think of anything to wish for besides help. She turned to go back inside suddenly exhausted.

"Granted! Not terribly grammatically correct but I am sure something amusing will Hey! Its not supposed to do that."

Joyce spun around toward the unexpected voice the shape of a man was now visible among the trees at the back of the yard illuminated by a glowing stone he was holding in his hands. The light shinning from what she could now see was an Amulet hanging on a chain around his neck was flashing between a sickly dark green and the most pure white Joyce had ever seen. His twisted face covered in bulging veins and deep sores looked up at Joyce in panic and fury.

"What are you doing Stop! It!" He took a step forward at the same time giving the Amulet a shake as if to get it working right again.

"Stop" A new voice and Joyce looked up hovering above them. Between the women and the Demon was another figure bathed in the same pure white light that seemed to be fighting for control the Demons Amulet. Her, it was definitely a women,

back was toward Joyce and she could only see the white gown she was wearing and her short brunet hair but the voice had sounded familiar.

"What do you think you are doing you can't interfere I am on the mmmth " The Demons mouth snapped shut at a gesture from the hovering women he seemed to struggle to speak but could not open his mouth all he could manage were some muffled noises. The battle over the Amulet finished with the white and green merging the sickly dark colour replaced by a beautiful light green that promised growth and healing. The glowing figure turned slightly and gestured toward Joyce. A strange tingling sensation erupted from her hands and she stumbled back. Shock at the bizarre sight before her giving way to fright.

"Its Ok Misses S. everything's going to be better this time." She could nearly recognize the voice, if the women would just turn a little bit more. The tingling in her hand cut off abruptly and Joyce Summers watched dozens of tiny sparks jump from her hands quickly forming into a small ball no bigger than a dime floating in front of her. Gazing in amazement at the small green sphere now dancing toward the Demon Joyce had a sudden flash of memory. Tending Dawns cuts getting her daughters blood on her hands.

"The Key." Not aware she had spoken she watched the ball of energy float toward the franticly struggling Demon. He tried to shield his Amulet from it. But the sphere never slowed down from what Joyce could see it passed right through his hands. For a second nothing seemed to happen the Demon looked up at the women then. The whole world seemed to stop and hold its breath.

The Demon frozen in place, the white women arms out stretched seeming to vibrate with effort and Joyce watching it all. Then the moment passed the glow around the women turned off as if someone had thrown a switch and she fell to the grass at Joyce's feet. The Demon gave a strangled scream as the green energy burst from between his hands his body blazed brightly for a second and then was gone a swirling green Vortex stood in the middle of the summers backyard.

Upstairs Buffy jerked awake her slayer senses pumping adrenaline through her body in response to the explosion of mystic power going off so close, quickly she slipped from Dawns sleeping arms and padded softly from the room headed for her weapons chest. Across town Ben twisted in his sleep troubled by someone else's nightmare.

Joyce took a quick step forward and knelt next to the white gowned women keeping a wary eye on the strange green, what-ever it was that still stood in middle of the yard. She got her first good look at her visitor.

"Cordelia!" Joyce stared in amazement. Cordelia Chase threw her a quick reassuring smile but kept most of her attention on the vortex. She started to climb to her feet.

"Come on you arrogant bitch don't tell it was all talk Ive done most of the work all you have to do is except the terms and push a little from your end." Joyce automatically reached out to help the young women she had known for years too shocked to think about what was going on. Her hand passed straight through the seemingly solid Cordelia. Joyce slumped over backwards her eyes even wider if that were possible.

Cordelia stood and started toward the vortex still muttering encouragement and insults to someone under her breath.

"Yes!" At the shout of victory Joyce pulled her disbelieving gaze away from Cordelia and looked at the vortex a small deep blue dot had formed in the center and was rapidly growing to feel the whole thing.

"Mom what…… Cordelia!" Buffy's shout from the back door

"Buffy." Cordelia and Joyce both turned toward the house Joyce saw her daughter standing there with an axe at the ready, still in her P.J's.

"Hi Buffy! Damm you look terrible! Listen got no time to explain but its all going to be all right just stay out of it for a few minuets." Cordelia made the same gesture she had trapped the Demon with and turned back to the vortex. Joyce scrambled up and hurried over to Buffy who was trying to get out the door but was being blocked by something.

"Mom what's going on."

"I don't know dear." Joyce said distractedly turning back to watch Cordelia and the vortex. Buffy after worriedly checking her mother over to see if she was all right also turned her wary gaze on the scene in the back yard.

Cordelia approached the vortex as if it were a dangerous animal, she inspected it looking for one spot in particular, although one part of the mass of swirling blue energy looked much the same as any other to watching Summers women. Cordelia saw something. She suddenly darted forward and thrust her arm into it. Her hand sinking in up to the shoulder. Joyce could see her feeling around inside the vortex, searching for something the look of concentration on her face changed to excitement, she threw herself backwards dragging whatever she had grabbed out of the vortex

The Backyard plunged into darkness .as the vortex disappeared the night seemed to rush in to fill the void. The lights from the house barely lit the porch and the yard was all but impenetrable.

"Damm look what they have done to you." Cordelia's voice was subdued; they could barely hear her from four meter's away. Buffy's and Joyce's eyes grew accustomed to the dark they could pick out the white gowned form, kneeling down next to shadowed shape they could not make out sprawled on the ground.

"I do not have much time left, got to get you fixed up." Cordelia spread her hands over the half-seen figure. Her body began to glow again. Buffy and Joyce could not see who or what she was talking too but they could see Cordelia's white light stream from her into the dark shape at her side. As they watched Cordelia's once solid seeming body became insubstantial she sent more and more of her light into her, patient?

"Cordy stop! What's going on." Cordelia ignored Buffy's shout and continued pouring her power into the still form at her side. Buffy started fighting to get out into the yard again the force blocking the door and holding her inside was weaker now and she started to inch forward. Joyce took a hesitant step toward Cordelia. Then took a deep breath and stated determinedly forward she had no idea what was going on but she could see that whatever Cordelia was doing, it was costing the brunet badly.

Cordelia continued poring her power out and as she did she became less and less distinct. Now she was just a vague outline her features still recognizable but completely see through. Floating in the center of her body Joyce could see and orb of bright light that grew smaller and dimmer as she worked.

"Enough Cordelia Chase." Joyce jerked to a stop the cold voice coming from the shadowed shape at Cordelia's side sent a chill through her. The hairs on the back of her neck to stood on end.


End file.
